THIS week, Eurovision madness took over, with dodgy perms, cowboy boots and impromptu serenades seemingly unavoidable as competitors and Euro-groupies made their way round a dizzying number of receptions and parties. The best-bash-of-the-week award went to the Irish reception in the Herbert Park Hotel on Tuesday, - when after a night of free drink and high spirits, Boyzone's Ronan Keating, one of tonight's co-presenters, took the mike for several heart-felt (if a little rusty in places) duets with Irish entrant, Marc Roberts. His fellow presenter, Carrie Crowley, Eurovision maestro Shay Healy and past winner Niamh Kavanagh also belted out a few old tunes.
Curiously, the best singer of the lot was possibly Ms Crowley, who rendered Van Morrison's Moondance quite superbly. Incidentally, at Monday night's reception in the National Gallery, Ray D'Arcy,
Carrie's co-presenter on RTE Radio's Fandango, scotched the rumours, spread around by Dustin on Dempsey's Den, that he was getting married. Photos were even produced and Ray was getting quite used to the newsroom boys congratulating him, but his absence from the programme was, in fact, designed merely to give some new faces a try-out.
Another hot ticket was the IceIandic contingent's party in Rumours nightclub on Wednesday night. Singer Paul Oscar's stunning performance in drag singing Dana's 1970 winning entry, All Kinds Of Everything, suggested that he might not take the Eurovision all that seriously, a suspicion backed up by his statement that when singer Bjork was at his party prior to his departure she trusted me to be faithful to the true kitschiness of the Eurovision".
Meanwhile, the Eurovision gossip began to bubble over. Russian entrant Alla Pugacheva, accompanied by her husband and producer, Phillip Kirkorov (whom you might remember as the frizzy black-haired, kohl-pencilled Russian singer of two years ago was said to be acting like a real prima donna - and yes, that is the name of her song. Alla will go nowhere without a white limo but this is perhaps a little more understandable on learning that she is the "Madonna of Russia" having sold over 150 million records which, her publicity informs us, "easily ranks her with Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson".
All week the odds in the Paddy Power bookmakers in the Euro-village down at the Point placed Italy and Ireland as joint favourites. RTE's David Blake-Knox said, through slightly gritted teeth, that of course he wanted Marc to win but - maybe it would be better for the competition if he didn't. Producer Noel Curran's favourite was said to be Estonia and Ronan Keating said he wasn't a gambling man and wouldn't be betting, though it is rumoured that he fancies Ireland to win. Boyzone will be playing at the Eurovision in John Rocha black leather and Ronan said that Keith will be fine, despite having broken a bone in his hand during a concert in Germany last Sunday.